This just in from the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center:
Summer is officially here! What better way to celebrate warmer weather than enjoying delicious food with friends and neighbors? The East Boston Neighborhood Health Center makes eating healthy easy and fun with our food access programs!
Food is a basic necessity. The World Health Organization and the United Nations deem access to safe and nutritious food a basic individual right, but many of our community members may face barriers to accessing healthy and affordable food. As a proud member of this community, we work to overcome food access issues. Here's how!
East Boston Farmers Market: It's that time of year again: The East Boston Farmers Market returns July 5! The Let's Get Movin' program at EBNHC runs a bustling farmers market through the summer and early fall. Come have fun while you shop for fresh produce and other healthy foods!
Hours: Wednesdays, 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm
Dates: July 5 through October 18
Location: Lewis Mall, behind the Maverick T station
Payments accepted: Cash, credit, debit, WIC Coupons, Senior Coupons, SNAP/food stamps
Learn more about the Farmers Market!
EBNHC Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA): Our CSA connects community members interested in supporting local agriculture with Farmer Dave's, a farm located in Dracut, MA. Members of the CSA purchase a "share," or part of the farm's harvest, and receive convenient weekly shipments of healthy, affordable produce that change with the growing season! The program began June 15, but we accept applications on a rolling basis. Please join us! Learn more about our CSA!
Healthy Incentives Program: The East Boston Farmers Market and CSA are proud to participate in the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP). HIP is a statewide program that provides SNAP recipients with a 100 percent incentive -- a dollar-for-dollar match -- for each SNAP dollar spent on fruits and vegetables purchased at farmers markets, farm stands, mobile markets, and CSA programs. By increasing access to locally grown fruits and vegetables for SNAP clients, the program seeks to benefit family and community health, and support farms and the local economy. Learn more about the Healthy Incentives Program!
Fair Foods: On the first and third Friday of every month beginning at 2:30 pm, community members can purchase mixed bags of fresh produce for $2 per bag. Fair Foods is open to all and aims to increase access to fresh, affordable, healthy food in Boston communities. Learn more about Fair Foods!
EBNHC Wellness Garden: Our Wellness Garden is a collaborative project throughout which participants share in the maintenance and products of the garden, including healthful and affordable fresh fruits and vegetables while building gardening skills, engaging in physical activity, skill building, and creating green space. Learn more about our Wellness Garden >>
Our community initiatives coordinator, Gabrielle Witham, is deeply connected to these programs. "It feels very meaningful to be able to help people gain access to healthy, fresh, affordable foods," Gabrielle says.
East Boston, MA (January 9, 2017) – East Boston Main Streets Proudly Presents the 21st Annual Taste of Eastie on Thursday, January 26th, 2017.
East Boston Main Streets invites the public to the 21st Annual Taste of Eastie at the Hilton Boston Logan Airport Hotel on Thursday, January 26th, 2017 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. Food and fun highlight this wonderful evening including raffles and auctions.
Over 30 local food merchants will showcase their delicious cuisine, including tastes from South and Central America, the Mediterranean, China, the Middle East, and Italy.
Tickets are $30.00 ($35.00 at the door) and can be purchased online at https://tasteofeastie2017.eventbrite.com or in person at MP&CO at 36 Maverick Sq. or the Main Streets office at 154 Maverick Street, as well as at the Maverick Market Cafe at 154 Maverick St.
For more details please contact EBMS at director@ebmainstreets.com or call 617-561-1044.
EBMS is a non-profit corporation. Its mission is to create a more vibrant business district by initiating private and public improvements, promoting commerce, and supporting efforts to improve the quality of life for all who live, work, and do business in East Boston.
This just in from Corner Stalk Farm;
30+ Small Businesses to Sell Locally Produced Items Starting in July
BOSTON — The Boston Public Market today announced the first round of small businesses, including one from East Boston, who will sell locally produced goods in the new permanent, year-round market on the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway directly above the Haymarket MBTA station. Starting in July, the 28,000-square-foot Market will house over 30 permanent, year-round vendors selling locally produced items such as farm fresh produce; meat and poultry; milk and cheese; fish and shellfish; bread and baked goods; flowers; and an assortment of specialty and prepared foods.
"We've been farming in East Boston for two years now and can't wait to start sharing our fresh local greens and herbs with the people of Boston," said Shawn Cooney, co-owner of Corner Stalk Farm, which grows standard and specialty leafy greens and herbs in recycled shipping containers. The Boston Public market is the perfect place for us to reach as many consumers as possible with the freshest produce in Boston."
The initial vendors announced today include farmers, fisherman, and food producers from Massachusetts and throughout New England, including Corner Stalk Farm in East Boston. The Boston Public Market will be the only locally-sourced market of its kind in the United States. Everything sold at the Market will be produced or originate in New England.
"The Boston Public Market will showcase the best of what Boston's local economy has to offer," said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "These vendors represent the small businesses that fuel our economy, and will serve as a tremendous resource for our residents and visitors in downtown Boston."
The Boston Public Market will provide individuals with year-round access to locally produced, fresh food," said Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Matthew Beaton. It is the goal of the Baker-Polito administration and EEA to make fresh produce available to all Commonwealth residents. I am pleased the market will join the ranks of Massachusetts' more than 290 farmers markets, 40 of which are winter farmers markets, and its Community Supported Agriculture farms, farm stands, and pick-your-own operations."
"A year round public market, like BPM, that features farm fresh Massachusetts products will not only strengthen our growing agricultural economy, it will also garner additional consumer demand for nutritious, locally grown and produced food," said Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Commissioner John Lebeaux. "Massachusetts is already a leader in direct market sales, ranked 5th in the U.S. Our farmers and food producers not only provide us with the best possible products all year round, they also preserve over 523,000 acres of open space, employee 28,000 workers and generate $492 million dollars for the Massachusetts economy."
Since 2007 Massachusetts' participation in community supported agriculture (CSA) has nearly doubled and agri-tourism sales have grown 127%. While nationally the U.S. witnessed a decline in agriculture from 2007 to 2012, Massachusetts was one of the few states that experienced growth in both number of farms and acres of farmland.
Our goal is to connect all residents of Boston with the best New England has to offer, and our vendors are at the heart of what we do," said Elizabeth Morningstar, CEO of the Boston Public Market. "These small businesses and food entrepreneurs have incredible experience growing and producing locally, and the multitude of flavors, colors, and stories they bring to the market is simply astounding."
The Market will span the ground floor of 136 Blackstone Street, which also contains the Boston RMV branch, entrances to the Haymarket MBTA station, vent stacks for the Interstate-93 tunnel, and a parking garage. The Market is located in downtown Boston's emerging Market District, next to the Haymarket pushcart vendors and the historic Blackstone Block.
"We're incredibly excited about this first group of vendors," said Tiffani Emig, the Boston Public Market's Market Manager. Some will be familiar to customers who have shopped at our seasonal markets on the Greenway, and some will be brand new. We can't wait for the people of Boston to meet them all."
The Boston Public Market has partnered with several organizations in Boston's growing entrepreneurial food community to help prepare vendors to sell their goods at the market. Several vendors, along with other local small food businesses, participated over the past six months in Interise's award-winning StreetWise 'MBA'" program aimed at growing jobs and creating more revenue. Vendors also received access to hands-on food production training and shared kitchen facilities at Crop Circle Kitchen's Pearl Food Production Small Business Center.
"I've known for a while that I have to change my business model from wholesale grower to farmer-florist," said Barbara Rietscha, owner of Stow Greenhouses in Stow, MA. "The StreetWise 'MBA'" program gave me the knowledge - and the courage - to make the change. Hearing about the real life experiences of both the mentors and my classmates has been invaluable."
The Boston Public Market will feature a diverse offering of programs designed to highlight regional culinary traditions and local food production, as well as inspire healthy eating and creative cooking among families and individuals. The Trustees of Reservations is the lead programming partner and will manage and staff a teaching kitchen in the heart of the market, working with other non-profit organizations and for-profit partners to offer exciting classes, demonstrations, and other programs.
The initial round of vendors can be found at www.bostonpublicmarket.org/vendors. Additional vendors will be announced over the coming months.
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The Boston Public Market will be a 28,000 square foot permanent, year-round, self-sustaining market that provides fresh local food to consumers from all income levels and nourishes our community. It will be a civic resource, educating the public about food sources, nutrition, and preparation.
At the market, farmers, fishermen, and food producers from Massachusetts and throughout New England will offer the public a year-round source of fresh local food and an opportunity to taste, buy, and understand what our region has to offer. The market will house over 40 vendors selling locally produced items such as farm-fresh produce, meat and poultry, eggs, milk and cheese, fish and shellfish, bread and baked goods, flowers, and an assortment of specialty and prepared foods. The Boston Public Market will be the only locally-sourced market of its kind in the United States.
For more information and to follow the progress of the market, visit us at www.bostonpublicmarket.org.
